Car-coupling



(No Model.)

` E. F. GOFFIN.

GAR GOUPLING.

No. 402,808. Patented May '7, 1889.

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UNITED STATES PATENT EEICE.

ELLERY F. COFFIN, OF MUIRKIRK, MARYLAND.

CAR-COUPLING.

SD'CDICATI''N forming part of Letters Patent No. 402,808, dated May 7, 1889.

Application filed March 14, 1889. Serial No.303,243. (No model.)

T0 a/ZZ whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, ELLERY F. COFFIN, a citizen of the United States, of America, residing at Muirkirk, in the county of Prince Georges and State of Maryland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Oar-Couplings; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters or figures of lreference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to that class of carcouplers in which the coupling pin 0r pins are supported by a sliding spring-pressed plate or follower and seated in the link by springpressure when the follower is moved aside.

The obj ect of my invention is to couple cars by the simultaneous action of two coupling-pins moved in opposite directions by a spring or springs.

To this end the invention consists in novel features of construction and combinations, to be hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a perspective view of a coupler embodying` my improvements. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical section of the same. Fig. 3 is a vertical section through line 0c Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a section through line y y, Fig. 2.

To the center of the end sill, ce, of a car, A, is secured a heavy bolt, B, upon the forward end of which is mounted a cross-head, C, the hub e of which bears upon the face of said sill. From the ends of this cross-head C project rigid link -plates D, provided at their outer ends with apertures l for the reception of the coupling-pins of an adjacent car, and parallel with these link-plates are secu red two grooved arms, E, within the grooves e of which are mounted sliding followers e. Between the forward ends of these arms E and projecting through them is a hollow cylinder F, provided at its upper and lower sides with slots f, and mounted to slide within its opposite ends are coupling-pins F', between the inner ends of which are confined coiled springs f', exerting an outward pressure on the pins. These sprin gs encircle guide-rods and are supported laterally thereby. At the ends of the slots f of cylinder F are arranged friction rollers or pulleys f2, designed to guide a chain, f3, connected at its center to a pull-rod, G, and secured at its opposite ends to the inner ends of the pins F.

To the rear ends of the followers c are `secured guide-rods e2, the rear ends of which slide freely through openings in the crosshead, and encircling these guide-rods, between the followers and cross-head, are coiled springs eg, designed to force the followers toward the outer ends of the grooved arms E.

To opposite sides of the hub c of the crosshead C are secured eyes or staples c', to which are secured the inner ends of chains C. These chains are wound upon the hub c in opposite directions,'the outer ends being removably secured to hooks a', or other fastening devices projecting from the ear.

In operation the chains C will secure the coupling-head of one carin the position shown in the drawings, while the coupler on the adjacent car will be held in the opposite position-that is, with the grooved arms E uppermost to receive the ends of the link-plates D. In coupling, should two adjacent couplingheads have the same posit-ion one must be reversed by means of its chains C', in order that the link-plates D of one coupling-head may enter the grooves o f the arms E of the other head. NVhen the cars are brought together, the link-plates D of one car will enter the outer ends of the grooves of the armsE of the other ear, and by forcing back the followers e will free the pins F and permit them to engage the pin-apertures d of the link-plates D. To uncouple, the pull-rod Gis drawn upward, thus withdrawing the pins from the linkplates through the agency of the chain, and as the cars move apart the followers will move forward past the ends of the coupling-pins and confine them within their cylinder until the followers are again forced back to release them.

To suspend the operation of the coupler, I secure to the cylinder F, at each end of the slots f, a hinged latch, II, a projecting lug, h, n which is adapted to drop behind a shoulder on the inner end of each coupling-pin, thus holding the pins securely, even though IOO the followers be removed from in front of their outer ends. The object of this arrange m ent is to suspend the operation of one pair of coupling-pins when two couplers come together, it being supposed that one pair will couple the cars securely, and that by throwing the other ont of use the cars may be uncoupled with greater facility7 as only one rod will have to be operated instead of two-that is, the cars should all be coupled either by all the lower coupling-pins or all the upper ones, but not by both unless desired for some special purpose, as in a vestibuled train, to have the ears more securely and rigidly coupled, when both sets of pi11s-tl1e upper and lower onesmay be used. In case of accident to one set of pins or linleplates on a coupler, the other set, or those on the adjacent car, can be used.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s-

1. The combination, substantially as described, of a car, a draft bar or bolt secured thereto, a cross-head adapted to rotate on said bolt and provided at its ends with link-plates and groovcd arms, spring-pressed couplingpins adapted to protrude through said arms, and spring-pressed followers arranged to hold the pins normally in their retracted position.

The combination, with a car and its draftbolt, ol a cross-head mounted to rotate on said bolt, means to lock the cross-head against rotation, link-plates and grooved arms projecting forward from the outer ends of the cross-head, a slotted cylinder secured between the outer ends of the grooved arms, spring-pressed coupling-pins seated within said cylinder and connected at their inner ends to a pull-rod, and spring-pressed followers adapted to close the outer ends of the cylinder or to be moved therefrom.

3. The combination, with a car, of a coup ling-head provided with grooved parallel arms, a slotted cylinder having' its ends seated in openings in said arms, spring-pressed coupling-pins seated in the outer ends otl said cylinder7 a pull-rod, chains connecting the inner ends of the pins with the' pull-rod, 4

and latches secured to the cylinder and adapted to engage shoulders on the pins to hold them against the outward pressure of their springs, subtantially as described.

In testimony whereof l aliix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

v ELLER'Y F. CO'FFIN. lVitnefsses:

E. W. JoHNsoN, firman SELBY. 

